Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, The Second-Longest Serving Senator In American History, Has Died

Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, the second-longest serving senator in
U.S. history and third in line to the U.S. presidency, died
Monday of respiratory complications, his office said in a statement. He was
88.

His last word, according to his staff, was "Aloha."

Inouye, World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient,
was first sworn into office in 1963 — four years after Hawaii was
granted statehood. He embarked on a near five-decade long career
in the U.S. Senate.

"The story of Dan Inouye is the story of modern Hawaii,"
his staff wrote in a statement announcing his death.

"We will all miss him, and that's a gross understatement. I wish
I were capable of saying more," Reid said.

Inouye was the second-longest serving senator in American
history, after West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd. He was also the
President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, which made him third in
line to the presidency behind the Vice President and Speaker of
the House of Representatives.

Here's his office's full statement (the sixth paragraph
hints at the incredible story of how he became a Medal of Honor
recipient):

United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, World War II veteran,
Medal of Honor recipient and Hawaii's senior Senator, passed away
from respiratory complications at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
today at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

His wife Irene and his son Ken were at his side. Last rites were
performed by Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry Black.

He is survived by his wife, Irene Hirano Inouye, his son Daniel
Ken Inouye Jr., Ken's wife Jessica, and granddaughter Maggie and
step-daughter Jennifer Hirano. He was preceded in death his first
wife, Maggie Awamura.

Senator Inouye's family would like to thank the doctors, nurses
and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the
extraordinary care he received.

The story of Dan Inouye is the story of modern Hawaii. During his
eight decades of public service, Dan Inouye helped build and
shape Hawaii.

Senator Inouye began his career in public service at the age of
17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly after Imperial Japan
attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He served with 'E'
company of the 442 Regimental Combat Team, a group consisting
entirely of Americans of Japanese ancestry. Senator Inouye lost
his arm charging a series of machine gun nests on a hill in San
Terenzo, Italy on April 21, 1945. His actions during that battle
earned him the Medal of Honor.

Following the war he returned to Hawaii and married Margaret
"Maggie" Awamura, and graduated from the University of Hawaii and
the George Washington University School of Law.

After receiving his law degree, Dan Inouye, returned to Hawaii
and worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and
County of Honolulu. He recognized the social and racial
inequities of post-war Hawaii, and in 1954 was part of a
Democratic revolution that took control of the Territorial
Legislature.

Following statehood in 1959, Dan Inouye was privileged to serve
as Hawaii's first Congressman. He ran for the Senate in 1962
where he served for nearly nine consecutive terms.

Dan Inouye spent his career building an enduring federal presence
in Hawaii to ensure that the state would receive its fair share
of federal resources. He worked to expand the military's presence
on all major islands, stabilizing Pearl Harbor, building up the
Pacific Missile Range and constructing a headquarters for the
United States Pacific Command.

He has worked to build critical roads, expanded bus services
statewide and secured the federal funds for the Honolulu Rail
Transit project. He championed the indigenous rights of Native
Hawaiians and the return of Kahoolawe.

He fought for the rights and benefits for veterans. Senator
Inouye has left an indelible mark at the University of Hawaii,
including support for major facilities and research assets. He
has long supported local agriculture and alternative energy
initiatives.

Dan Inouye was always among the first to speak out against
injustice whether interned Japanese Americans, Filipino World War
II veterans, Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.

A prominent player on the national stage, Senator Inouye served
as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Senate
Commerce Committee and was the first Chairman of the Senate
Select Committee on Intelligence.

After developing a reputation as a bipartisan workhorse, who
always would put country above party, he was asked by the Senate
leadership to chair the special committee investigating the Iran
Contra Affair. This was after a successful tenure as a member of
the Watergate Committee.

When asked in recent days how he wanted to be remembered, Dan
said, very simply, "I represented the people of Hawaii and this
nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I did OK."